Friday, June 29, 2012

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, 17 JUNE 2012 – The call, “Defend our
inherent right to self-determination!” was resounded by 500 indigenous
leaders, representatives, and advocates from different countries
participating in the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Territories,
Rights and Sustainable Development, also known as Kari-Oca II, here
from June 14-22 at Jacarepagu, Brazil.

“Indigenous peoples all over the world share a common struggle and
aspiration – self-determination or our inherent and collective right as
distinct peoples to freely determine our economic and social development
and freely determine our political status.

Twenty years after the UN Conference on Environment in 1992, the
indigenous peoples’ struggle for self-determined development is not only
continuing but was heightened by the current global capitalist system
that is gripping the world today,” CPA Chairperson Windel Bolinget said
as he addressed the conference on June 17.

Kari-Oca II began June 14 with a traditional Terena ritual to welcome
participants and to pray for a productive exchange and learning during
the nine-day gathering of indigenous peoples from all over the world.
After the opening program were discourses on indigenous peoples’
struggles, the worsening violations against indigenous peoples’ rights
to territories and resources, environmental destruction, commodification
of nature and indigenous peoples struggles for self-determination.

“As experienced by our fellow indigenous peoples here in Latin
America and around the globe, corporate greed and State repression with
impunity continue to heighten the violations of our right to
self-determination in the Philippines and the rest of Asia where I come
from. We are struggling against widespread militarization; plunder of
our resources through mining, geothermal projects, and large
hydroelectric dams; and violations of our right to Free, Prior and
Informed Consent,” said Bolinget.

Kari-Oca II is a global indigenous peoples’ activity held
simultaneously with the UN Conference on Sustainable Development from
June 19-21. From the sharing of experiences on global indigenous
peoples’ issues and concerns, Kari-Oca II drew up a declaration on the
struggles of indigenous peoples and the major themes of the UNCSD –
Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty
Eradication, and “Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development”.
The declaration is to be submitted to the UNCSD..... MORE